Dragons

What the people of the Valley didn't know the day the dragons' shadows first fell across the land was what had led them here in the first place. Their motivation was not nearly as sinister or targeted as the townsfolk had feared. And had they known the reasons, they may have even sympathized with the dragons.

These dragons weren't a typical clan in the sense that people have come to think of the structure of such a group. These dragons were the misfits. The outcasts. The outsiders. They were the ones that were just different enough to be considered other. And one of them, in particular, was about to have her world changed forever.

Hermilda didn't know what to expect from the Valley. She had no idea what her life would become, but she knew one thing: there was no going back to the old ways, whether she wanted to or not. The old days were behind her, were behind them all now. The only way to go was forward. No other options would do. Hermilda didn't know what to expect, but in her heart, she held a secret desire, one she wasn't even wholeheartedly able to admit to herself yet. But the world has a way of working things out for us, even when we're not sure if we're ready, and Hermilda was about to come face-to-face with that reality.

In the fear and uncertainty of the arrival of the gargantuan reptiles, a small soul got lost in the woods. Her mother may have fled from the Valley in a nervous haste, forgetting even this most precious piece to the puzzle that is her heart. The small girl may have wandered off from the cabin on her own, curious to see what was casting the large shadows that moved across the floor of her nursery room. Unable to go another moment without discovering the source that cast them, she took off. In so doing, leaving her mother, who had been momentarily distracted by her own mind's journey down the dark path that the shadows cast, to have a worry greater in her heart than she had ever felt before. The latter was Oriana's experience. Either way, all Hermilda knew when she landed and made her way through the forest was that this little girl she came across needed her right now.

This realization made her heart swell. Knowing this made her feel more alive than she knew possible. This little, tiny creature was dependent on her to survive. She knew this as she could see and hear for miles and there was no one else around.

But right now, she didn't need anyone else but this little girl. She seemed to have the sweetest disposition. She was babbling in a sing-songy voice that was the nicest sound Hermilda decided she thought she had ever heard. This little girl was looking up at her with a gaze that was endlessly trusting and instantly loving. She radiated a warmth that permeated even Hermilda's armor. She had worked so hard to build it up over her rough scales. The layer she thought she needed to protect her from all that she would encounter, she now found she must expand to surround, include and protect this sweet soul.

If it was no one from now on but the two of them, she'd be just fine, Hermilda thought to herself.

Their bond was instant, and it was strong.

The toddler cozied up to her and, with her tail providing protection, the little one, who Hermilda thought she might call Aurora, fell asleep almost instantly: Trusting her with every fiber of her being. Hermilda, tired, herself, from her long journey across the mountains, drifted off to a peaceful rest as well.

***********************************

She awoke when she heard a faint, desperate calling in the distance. Her heart had a flutter of panic for a brief moment, not knowing if the approaching individual was a threat or not. She quickly felt in her heart and knew that it was the little human's mother. Though she had only been with the girl for a short time, her heart had been on a transformative journey and she could feel the ache of the loss of a daughter in her heart. She knew that if it's what the woman wanted, she would step down. Knowing that she would have fulfilled her duty as temporary protector to this helpless creature.

But the most wonderful thing happened. A mother has a special ability to know when her child is in danger. The child's mother had this sense when she first discovered the girl had gone from their home, but as she journeyed off into the woods, that feeling faded away. She couldn't quite understand why, because she hadn't found her little one yet, but she felt, in her soul, that she was alright. Better than alright, really, that she was at peace. The feeling troubled her momentarily, but then it made her smile so purely and effortlessly that it startled her a bit. She should be filled with terror, out of her mind worrying, going over all the horrid things that could have taken place in her head. And she did do that, at first, but the need to had since ceased to have a tight grasp on her heart. She felt lighter, more free, and she didn't have a clue why until she laid her eyes on the dragon.

She continued to call her daughter's name, slightly frozen in a state of shock and unable to do anything but move forward toward her only hope of finding her daughter.

"Chloe," Oriana called.

"Chloe!"

Hermilda heard her calling and mentally braced for whatever the upcoming interaction had to bring, not knowing whether this human mother would take too kindly to a dragon cuddling up with her young daughter. Hopefully, she would be grateful for the obvious shelter and protection that Hermilda had provided, and not treat her as a foe, but there was, of course, no way of knowing until the moment came. Appreciating the time they had together, the last moment that was guaranteed, Hermilda looked at Chloe, close enough to Aurora, she decided, as both had roots in similar meanings of rebirth, and took in her innocent charm: Her even, regular breathing, her delicate, wispy hair that fluttered so softly in the breeze, the little bubbles she produced with her mouth, all of it. As she did this, Hermilda wondered how she could love someone she had just met so greatly and so unconditionally. The how she may not ever be able to comprehend, but the why seemed obvious as she gazed down at the perfection of this little face.

Oriana approached the small clearing where Chloe (aka Aurora) and Hermilda were lying. And the second they looked into each other's eyes, they knew they had found a new home in one another, unexpectedly what they each were looking for. Before Oriana even roused Chloe, she took a moment to soak this all in.